Q We have a colleague who has become very belligerent and angry, and it’s making all of us uncomfortable. Whenever we try to broach the subject it just seems to provoke him more. How should we handle this?

A Even in the best of times many of us lead stressful lives, trying to juggle work and family obligations, and myriad other personal and professional pressures that aren’t necessarily apparent to others. And these times only exacerbate those pressures. But it isn’t your job to psychoanalyze your co-workers, or to resolve their problems. And if offers to help are rebuffed, then alerting a manager or someone in HR is probably a good next step.

The goal is not to get them into trouble, but to potentially help them, particularly if this behavior is uncharacteristic. Talking to someone confidentially or using the company’s EAP service might help them. And if the colleague is just a jerk, well at least the proper management staff have been alerted so they can deal with it and not you.

Q People in need of help write in to you for advice, and so often your responses seem so snarky and sarcastic. Are you an unhappy person who doesn’t like his own job?

A Sarcastic? Moi? Well at least you’re paying attention! Listen, banal career advice is about as ubiquitous as disgruntlement among cubicle dwellers. What we try to do here is liven things up a little and make it real a lot. And I love my job so much that I’ll now begin responding to readers’ questions even if they don’t make it into the paper — so keep those cards and letters coming, kids.